Finance
Shipping Traffic Around Antwerp Port Partially Halted After Oil Spill
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 10, 2026
1 min readLast updated: April 10, 2026
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An oil spill during a bunkering operation at Antwerp’s Deurganckdock has led to a partial halt in shipping traffic on the river Scheldt, impacting the port that typically handles 60–80 vessels a day. The source has been contained, but the disruption’s duration and scale remain unclear.
Oil Spill Partially Halts Shipping Traffic at Antwerp Port, Second-Largest in Europe
Incident Overview and Impact on Shipping
Details of the Oil Spill
BRUSSELS, April 10 (Reuters) - Shipping traffic around Belgium's Port of Antwerp has been partially halted because of an oil spill that has spread from one of the port's docks into the river Scheldt.
Scale of Disruption
Antwerp harbour typically handles 60 to 80 ships daily. A port spokesperson could not immediately say how long traffic will remain halted or how many ships would be affected.
Source and Containment Efforts
"An oil spill occurred during a bunkering operation in the Deurganckdock. The source of the spill has since been stopped and contained," the port said in a statement, adding that pollution had spread to the Scheldt.
Significance of Antwerp Port
Antwerp port is part of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the second-largest port in Europe by cargo tonnage, behind Rotterdam.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van CampenhoutEditing by David Goodman)
Key Takeaways
- •The oil spill occurred during bunkering at the Deurganckdock and has now been stopped and contained, though pollution has spread into the river Scheldt. (en.wikipedia.org)
- •Port of Antwerp‑Bruges is Europe’s second‑largest maritime gateway by cargo tonnage—handling around 266.5 million tonnes in 2025—and supports 60–80 ship movements daily. (newsroom.portofantwerpbruges.com)
- •Authorities have not yet specified the expected duration of traffic disruptions or the number of ships affected, underscoring uncertainties for logistics and supply chains. (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Shipping traffic around Antwerp port partially halted after oil spill
1Why was shipping traffic around Antwerp port partially halted?
Shipping traffic was partially halted due to an oil spill that spread from one of the port's docks into the river Scheldt.
2How many ships does Antwerp harbour typically handle daily?
Antwerp harbour typically handles 60 to 80 ships daily.
3Has the source of the oil spill been contained?
Yes, the source of the spill was stopped and contained, but pollution spread to the Scheldt.
4What is the significance of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges?
It is the second-largest port in Europe by cargo tonnage, behind Rotterdam.
5Was the duration of the shipping disruption disclosed?
No, port authorities could not immediately say how long the traffic halt would last or how many ships would be affected.